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Compiled by : Prawin RamBhojan

Source : Internet
Managers want to know what inspires
employees to give their best to the
organization.

Motivation theories attempt to explain what


energizes employees to accomplish
organizational goals.

Question: To what extent are these theories,


most of which have been developed in the
countries, universal or culture bound?
Motivation is a psychological process through
which unsatisfied wants or needs lead to
drives that are aimed at goals or incentives.

The Basic Motivation Process


Content and Process Theories

Content Theories of Motivation


Theories that explain work motivation in
terms of what arouses, energizes, or initiates
employee behavior.

Process Theories of Motivation


Theories that explain work motivation by how
employee behavior is initiated, redirected,
and halted.
Content Theories
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Hertzbergs Two-Factor Theory
Achievement theories

Process Theories
Goal Setting Theory
Expectancy Theory
Equity Theory
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Maslows theory rests on a number of


basic assumptions:
Lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-
level needs become motivators
A need that is satisfied no longer serves as a
motivator
There are more ways to satisfy higher-level than
there are ways to satisfy lower-level needs
International Findings on Maslows Theory

Some researchers have suggested modifying


Maslows Western-oriented individualist hierarchy
by re-ranking the needs
For instance, in collectivist cultures such as China
that emphasize the needs of society, the hierarchy
might have four levels ranked from lowest to
highest:
Belonging (social)
Physiological
Esteem
Self-actualization (in service to society)
Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory of Motivation
A theory that identifies two sets of factors that
influence job satisfaction:
Motivators
Job-content factors such as achievement,
recognition, responsibility, advancement, and the
work itself
Hygiene Factors
Job-context variables such as salary, interpersonal
relations, technical supervision, working conditions,
and company policies and administration
International Findings on Herzbergs Theory

Two categories of international findings on the two-


factor theory:
One type of study consists of replications of Herzbergs
research in a particular country
Do managers in country X give answers similar to those
in Herzbergs original studies?
The others are cross-cultural studies focusing on job
satisfaction
What factors cause job satisfaction and how do these
responses differ from country to country?
International Findings
Two-Factor Replications
on Herzbergs Theory
A number of research efforts have been undertaken
to replicate the two-factor theory they tend to
support Herzbergs findings, with some variation
A study was conducted among 178 Greek managers this
study found that overall Herzbergs two-factor theory of job
satisfaction generally held true
International Findings Cross-Cultural Job-
on Herzbergs Theory Satisfaction Studies
Results from various countries indicate that
motivators tend to be more important to job
satisfaction than hygiene factors
Job content may be more important than job
context
Job-satisfaction-related factors may not always be
culture bound
Achievement Motivation Theories
Characteristic profile of high achievers:
They like situations in which they take personal
responsibility for finding solutions to problems.
They tend to be moderate risk-takers rather than
high or low risk-takers.
They want concrete feedback on their performance.
They often tend to be loners, and not team players.
International Findings on Achievement Theories
Results are mixed
In a New Zealand study, results were similar to US
In Central Europe, an early study showed that Polish
industrialists were high achievers though later
studies did not find a high need for achievement in
Central European countries
International Findings on Achievement Theories
Achievement theories need to be modified to meet
the specific needs of the local culture:
Anglo-Saxon cultures and those that reward
entrepreneurial effort support achievement motivation
The culture of many countries does not support
achievement motivation

Hofstede offers the following advice:


The countries on the feminine side . . . distinguish themselves by focusing on
quality of life rather than on performance and on relationships between people
rather than on money and things. This means social motivation: quality of
life plus security and quality of life plus risk.
Goal-Setting Theory
A process theory that focuses on how individuals go
about setting goals and responding to them and the
overall impact of this process on motivation
Specific areas that are given attention in goal-
setting theory include:
The level of participation in setting goals
Goal difficulty
Goal specificity
The importance of objective
Timely feedback to progress toward goals
International Findings on Goal-Setting Theory
In the United States employee participation in setting
goals is motivational it had no value for the
Norwegian employees in this study
The results of studies in other countries suggest that
participation in goal setting may be affected by
prevailing work norms
Example: Norwegian employees shunned participation and
preferred to have their union representatives work with
management in determining work goals
Example: UK employees preferred goal setting programs
sponsored by union rather than by management
Expectancy Theory
A process theory that postulates that motivation is
influenced by a persons belief that
Effort will lead to performance
Performance will lead to specific outcomes, and
The outcomes will be of value to the individual.

Expectancy theory predicts that high performance


followed by high rewards will lead to high
satisfaction
International Findings on Expectancy Theory

Does this theory have universal application?


Eden found some support for it while studying
workers in an Israeli kibbutz
Matsui and colleagues found it could be successfully
applied in Japan

Expectancy theory could be culture-bound international managers


must be aware of this limitation in motivating human resources since
expectancy theory is based on employees having considerable control
over their environment (a condition that does not exist in many cultures)
Equity Theory

When people perceive they are being treated


equitably, it will have a positive effect on their job
performance and satisfaction
If they believe they are not being treated fairly
(especially in relation to relevant others), they will
be dissatisfied. This will have a negative effect on
their job performance and they will strive to restore
equity.
International Findings on Equity Theory

There is considerable research to support the fundamental


equity principle in Western work groups.
When the theory is examined on an international basis, the
results are mixed.
Example: Equity perceptions among managers and
nonmanagers in an Israeli kibbutz production unit
Everyone was treated the same but managers reported lower
satisfaction levels than the workers
Managers perceived their contributions to be greater than
other groups in the kibbutz and felt under-compensated for
their value and effort
Although some universality exists, factors
that motivate appear bound by local
conditions and work norms

Consider differences due to individualism-


collectivism, uncertainty avoidance,
masculinity/femininity, power distance

However, keep in mind possible change in


motivation factors as countries move toward
free-market economies

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